Energy storage and conversion technique and apparatus
OwnerFernand Germaininventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The kinetic energy of the wind is converted into compressed air which is stored, in a system which maintains a predetermined output pressure, for use in driving a turbine coupled to an electrical power generator. The gas storage system includes two pair of serially connected storage tanks with the first tank in each pair receiving compressed air from wind driven compressors and including a hydraulically actuated piston for use in forcing the air into the second tank. Each of the second tanks of each pair includes a floating piston which will be caused to ascend in response to the delivery of pressurized gas thereto from the serially connected tank including the hydraulically actuated piston and the pressure in each of the second tanks will be maintained by the weight of the floating piston.
Claims4
Apparatus for the production of electrical energy comprising:
- wind driven compressor means, said compressor means including at least a first wind responsive rotor and producing pressurized air in response to rotation of said rotor;
- first air storage reservoir means, said first reservoir means including a first piston;
- first conduit means for selectively delivering pressurized air from said wind driven compressor means to the interior of said first reservoir means, said first conduit means being connected to said first reservoir means at a point located to a first side of said first piston when said first piston is in a deenergized state;
- a source of pressurized liquid;
- second conduit means for selectively coupling said source of pressurized liquid to the interior of said first reservoir means at the second side of said first piston to energize said first piston;
- second air storage reservoir means, said second storage reservoir means including a second piston;
- third conduit means for coupling the interior of said first reservoir means at said first side of said first piston to the interior of said second reservoir means at a first side of said second reservoir means piston;
- generator means, said generator means including a pneumatic motor coupled to an electrical power generator;
- and
- fourth conduit means for selectively coupling the interior of said second reservoir means at said first side of said second piston to said generator means.
An energy conversion and storage method comprising the steps of:
- utilizing the force of the ambient wind to produce compressed air;
- selectively delivering the thus produced compressed air to a first intermediate storage reservoir;
- selectively delivering liquid to the interior of the first intermediate storage reservoir to force the compressed air therefrom under pressure into a first storage tank, liquid being delivered to the intermediate reservoir during periods when compressed air is not being delivered to the reservoir;
- maintaining the air in the first storage tank at a constant pressure regardless of volume;
- and
- selectively venting compressed air from the first storage tank to a pneumatic motor coupled to an electrical power generator whereby electrical energy will be generated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.